Corp and Apple Computer Inc yesterday announced first fruits of their long-gestating collaboration on next generation computing, and the letter of intent is headlined by plans to create a new Microsoft, a jointly owned systems software company that will be independently managed. There is speculation that the new company will be created out of IBM’s Patriot Partner joint venture with Metaphor Computer Systems Inc but that is not confirmed. The resulting software, in particular a new object-oriented operating system, will be offered for sale for both IBM and Apple computers. IBM and Apple will develop and market new technologies that both Apple and IBM will integrate into existing and future products, as well as offer for use on other vendors’ computers. The new operating system will run on major hardware environments, including Intel’s iAPX 86, Motorola’s 68000, and IBM’s RS/6000. The two intend to use object-oriented technology in future product offerings, as well as in current operating systems, so that applications written for current operating systems, including AIX, OS/2 and Macintosh, will run in these new environments. It will also be marketed widely by the new company for use on other vendors’ systems. In what sounds like a commitment to make the Macintosh coequal with OS/2 on the PS/2 in IBM mainframe shops, the two said they plan to integrate Macintosh further into the client server enterprise environment in two ways – developing networking and communications products, and an enhanced AIX Unix that combines the best of IBM’s open systems with Macintosh and its thousands of useroriented productivity applications. The enhanced AIX will span the range from desktop workstations to servers, and will offer Macintosh and OSF/Motif user interfaces. Apple does indeed plan to adopt future single chip implementations of the IBM Rios RISC called Power PC in future Macintosh personal computers, and Motorola Inc will make the chips and market them to other manufacturers, and will collaborate with IBM on development of the new chip. New multimedia technology resulting from the joint efforts also will be offered for use on other vendors’ products. Implementation of the letter of intent is contingent on execution of definitive contracts. The two hope to complete the contracts later this year and will release further details only at that time. First products are expected to come to market over the next two to three years.
